The fate of the historic Jackson Park bandshell is likely sealed after the city of Windsor announced Friday that it is erecting a different "history making" monument to the city's famous Emancipation Day festival.
Monument Details and Timeline
Officials have set an aggressive timeline for the Emancipation Celebration Monument, pledging to build it by Aug. 1, recognized as Emancipation Day in Canada. The city unveiled the plan at Jackson Park in the spot where the first of two bandshells — the heart of Emancipation Day celebrations — once stood. The annual event was a celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery in Canada and other British Colonies on Aug. 1, 1834.
Windsor's famed celebrations were the largest of their kind in North America, with keynote speakers such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Olympian Jesse Owens.
Phase One: Decorative Archway
Phase one of the project will include a decorative archway spanning 28 feet across and 15 feet high. It will reflect the shape and style of the arch of the original Jackson Park bandstand, which burned down in 1957. In February, during Black History Month, city council committed $406,000 for that phase.
Phase Two: Bronze Statue of Walter Perry
Phase 2 will be a large bronze statue of festival founder Walter Perry. It will be installed in 2027 or sooner, assuming community fundraising goals are met. The statue will cost about $140,000. The WindsorEssex Community Foundation (WECF) will be stewards of the Emancipation Celebration Fund, a perpetual community trust.
"We were determined to create a monument and gathering space at this site to honour Windsor’s Emancipation Day celebrations," said Mayor Drew Dilkens. "But we also wanted to honour the history of the Underground Railroad and Mr. Emancipation himself, Walter Perry, in the historic stage where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once spoke."
Community Involvement and Fundraising
The city also launched a commemorative brick program to raise funds. For $100, people can buy a brick with a name or message inscribed that will be installed around the site. The deadline for the brick program is June 1.
Joi Hurst, chair of the Emancipation Celebration Monument Committee, said Friday the monument "will stand as a testament to shared heritage and enduring values." She added, "It will serve as a focal point, drawing people together through common understanding of history and tradition. This site offers invaluable insights into the past, illuminating the journeys of those who came before us. The Emancipation Celebration Monument will provide a space for reflecting and teaching. It will be a space that both invites and allows us to connect with narratives that have shaped our past and present."
"Windsor has long been a place of refuge for freedom seekers and those who fight for independence, safety and stability," said Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino. "Emancipation Day celebrations help to share our community. And I can tell you that you’re going to be absolutely floored when you see what will take shape right here."
